The Sleeping Jester
by Madi-Hatter
Summary: Merlin Sleeping Beauty parody   opposite of The Sleeping Beauty By:charlottesometimes
1. To Sleep

Arthur rubbed his eyes and grumbled, he had just finished stretching and still it seemed his manservant Merlin had still not shown up. Now this was not unusual, Merlin being late, but this was just too much. There was no reason for him to be two hours late! After calling another servant to dress him he went out in search for Merlin.

Walking through the halls, he asked the occasional servant if they had seen Merlin this morning, the answer was 'no' from everyone he encountered. Arthur sighed and decided to start looking for him somewhere; he'd search all over the castle for him if he had to. The first place he headed was his room. Arthur barged into the small chamber that lead to Merlin's even smaller yet room. Gaius was up and awake and looked up sharply when the prince barged in.

"Sire? Is there anything I can do you for?" Gaius asked, raising one brow at him.

"I'm looking for that idiot Merlin have you seen him?" Arthur said, glancing around as if expecting Merlin to pop out of nowhere.

"I was not aware that he was not with you Sire, I will fetch him now," Gaius said, standing in his slumped posture. Arthur pressed him down back into the chair.

"No, no; I want the pleasure of waking him myself," Arthur said, then he stalked forward and up the few stairs into Merlin's room banging the door open, loudly, allowing it to slam the wall with its force.

'Strange,' Arthur thought, 'He usually jumps at the smallest sound.'

What Arthur saw surprised him; Merlin wasn't snoozing like Arthur thought. Merlin was silent and completely still in the middle of the bed. The only sign of life was the steady rise and fall of his chest and the a bit more than pink cheeks. Arthur walked over to the side of the bed and he grabbed Merlin's shoulder, shaking him lightly then harder until he eventually gave up. Just then he thought there was one thing that always got Merlin, he was extremely ticklish. Poking Merlin in the side he waited for him to immediately crack a grin and give up this game but still he remained still sleeping. Arthur now knew that there was something was wrong.

"Gaius, I think something is wrong with Merlin!" he shouted, as he looked down at Merlin's unmoving form.

After Gaius tried all he could think of, he turned to Arthur and shook his head with a grave look on his face. Arthur sat down heavily and asked his father to be called. Once the King arrived, he was surprised to find instead of his son nursing a new wound, he saw a solemn look as he stared down at his servant.

"Arthur, Gaius why is it that I've been called down here to see your manservant sleeping?" Uther queried, looking his son and Merlin.

"Sire, I believe someone has used magic to put Merlin into a deep sleep and I am not very sure if the spell spreads or not," Gaius said.

Immediately, Uther straightened up and looked to Gaius. "Do you of yet know what the spell is Gaius?"

"Yes, I believe so sire, but I must look into the old books that deal with these matters to be sure as of yet Sire," Gaius stated.

"Of course, do inform me if you find out any news upon the nature of the spell, Gaius," Uther then stalked out, his figure stiff.

"Gaius, exactly which spell do you think it is?" Arthur asked.

"I believe it to be an old spell from a story about a princess who could only be awakened by her true loves kiss," Gaius said while leafing through a book.

"But Merlin's no princess!"


	2. To Try

Arthur stood there in shock, thinking of what he a just been told. As he stood there, frozen, an emotion gripped his heart; fear. The fear that he might never be able to talk to Merlin, to see his goofy half smirk half grin again. What would he do now? Who would make him laugh when he was down? Now how would he tell that idiot how he feels?

"Yes, I know, Sire, but as the case as it is if we don't find who Merlin's soul mate soon then he will forever be trapped in his slumber," Gaius stated, his face solemn whilst staring down at the sorcerer in deep worry.

"What can you do for him, now, is there no potion or remedy?" Arthur said, his hands clenched at his sides.

"No, I'm sorry, Sire, but without his soul mate there is nothing I can do," Gaius said.

In his anger, he shouldn't have smashed that bowl or turned his room into such a mess. He could only envision Merlin yelling at him now; how it would take him forever to clean this up and, about the Prince's wild childish tantrums and how 'he really should stop them'. Sighing, Arthur walked outside to the training fields; he really needed to release some anger.

Hours later, after Arthur had absolutely destroyed six of the mail covered straw filled dummies. Arthur's head was clear enough head to think. He started a list of 'true loves'. This list was short: Morgana, Gwen, and a few obscure chambermaids Arthur had seen him talking to one or twice, all in all not an extremely long list.

After washing up, Arthur paced his room; he could summon all of them and ask them all to kiss Merlin. He didn't have a better plan so he did exactly that, after the short process of moving Merlin's thin body into Arthur's own bed. Morgana and Gwen had smiled and consented to help- the chambermaids had just giggled and agreed as it was to help the prince.

A short time later, Merlin laid stone stiff in the middle of the bed, the covers pulled up to his collar bone. The first two to kiss Merlin were the chambermaids, their kisses having no effect at all. Next was Morgana, who had quickly pressed a peck of a kiss to Merlin, as if Uther would have chosen that moment to pop out of thin air.

Gwen was the last and it seemed that if anything, Merlin seemed to pull a face and inch away until he was not far from the edge of the bed. Arthur quickly moved him, gently, back to the middle of the bed and fell solemnly into the plush chair beside the bed.

Putting his head into his hands, he realized in the space of a day it was like his entire life had been pulled from under his feet. Silently, Gwen quickly ushered the surprisingly quiet chambermaids out of the room so Arthur and Morgana would have a moment of privacy. Morgana walked up and softly placed a hand onto Arthur's back, rubbing it in a soothing motion.

"I can't even begin to know how you must feel, I honestly don't know what I'd do if something happened to Gwen," Morgana said, eyes soft in sadness.

"Yes…..but who else?" Arthur said, "I can't think on anyone else."

"You must take into the one thing you might not have thought of; love is usually in the most unexpected places," Morgana said, in cryptic woman-speak, as she walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

As soon as the door had slid closed, Arthur was standing his head hanging over Merlin's. Slowly Arthur pressed his forehead to Merlin's looking directly into closed eyes.

"Merlin please…. Please, wake up…" Arthur mumbled, quietly, a single tear sliding down his cheek.

When pulling back a bit too quickly, Arthur accidentally brushed his lips against Merlin's forehead. Arthur's eyes widened as he saw Merlin's eyelashes flutter. The dark lashes moved upward for a moment, before being pulled down, as if a heavy weight had pulled them back down onto porcelain white cheekbones.

'Could it be?' Arthur thought, before he leaned forward, slowly, creeping like a big cat in the grass hunting for its meal. His lips just a brush away…. 


	3. To Get

The full distance was almost reached when a knock sounded at the heavy wooden door.

Immediately, Arthur snapped up as if burned. He gave a brief glance at the sleeping form of Merlin, before looking back at the door, a sour look on his face. Arthur mentally groaned, he had been so close!

"Who is it?" Arthur questioned, sitting down in a chair not far from the bed.

"It is I, Sire," Gaius' voice, softly, came through the door.

Surprised, Arthur called out, "Gaius, come in!"

"Sire, I have found more information on this particular spell," Gaius stated, in his old weathered voice, while hauling a heavy tome into the room.

"What is it? Have you found another way to wake him?" Arthur said, striding forward.

"No, but I have found a potion that should reveal whom his true love is," Gaius said, as he opened the tome, the books' ancient binding creaking in an awfully loud way.

"Really! Well then, make it!" Arthur yelled, excitedly, his face lighting up.

"But, Sire, this potion requires the use of magic to be completed," Gaius reported, as his face darkened.

"Then find a sorcerer! Did my father not mention once that you have magic?" Arthur shouted, standing up, back ramrod straight, his voice rising in anger.

Sighing in a sad way, he waved the younger male to take his seat once more. Once done, the young Pendragon seemed to calm and nodded to a chair right in front of him. Gaius nodded gratefully and sat groaning as his backache started to lessen.

"Yes, I…did Sire, but now the magic I'm sure has all but left me…" Gaius said, softly as if morning an old friend.

"Then find someone else!" Arthur said and raised his hand as Gaius moved to open his mouth stopped him short, "the next words out of your mouth better be the directions to the nearest sorcerer!"

There was a long unbearably long silence. Arthur immediately felt sorry for yelling at the man who had been there for him since birth and moved to apologize. Then he heard a voice. So small and tiny like a whisper, like a sigh, but Arthur heard it. In no less than a moment Arthur was at Merlin's side his ear next to Merlin's mouth. After a moment of the sound, of feeling hot breath, on his ear he was about to back away when he heard it.

"Ar- Arthu- Arthur," Merlin whispered out, softly, squirming on the bed as to get closer to Arthur.  
"Sire, I do believe I am going to take my leave," Gaius stated and then slipped out with a knowing smile and shaking his head.

"Merlin," Arthur whispered, lowering his head slowly.

When their lips met, Arthur felt surprised at how Merlin's lips were, until he felt the body under him surge up and two long pale arms wrapped smoothly around Arthur's head and neck. Merlin pulled him farther down, on top of him, while releasing his lips. Arthur resisted, until he opened his eyes and saw Merlin's blue eyes staring up at him. Arthur paused seeing love, endearment, confusion, and arousal in the twin sapphires below him. Arthur swooped down, attacking Merlin's mouth a hungry passion. The warlock's eyes slid shut and long pale fingers slid into thick blond locks.

Pulling back, both stared in a long silence, neither wanting to break the comfortable air around them. Then just as slow as the moment was Arthur lowered his head until it rested on Merlin's shoulder. After another long silence Arthur spoke.

"I…thought I'd never see your eyes open again…I realized that I'd miss you."

"Arthur? Umm…Where did I go?" Merlin asked, staring into Arthur's blond hair.


End file.
